108: Mailbag of Etymology (with Douglas Harper)

We're joined for the first time by Douglas Harper, proprietor of the world-renowned Online Etymology Dictionary (etymonline.com). He's here to help us with our Mailbag questions, and even test us in a game of Related or Not.

In our Mailbag this time:

• What's the difference between DEPENDENCE and DEPENDENCY?
• Why is TONGUE spelled that way?
• What does it mean if reciting a tongue twister in your mind is just as hard as saying it out loud?
• Why is STYGIAN the adjective form of the River Styx?
• Why are WHY and BECAUSE the same in some languages?

Timestamps

• Cold open: 0:00
• Intros: 2:01
• Questions for Douglas Harper: 9:16
• Mailbag questions 1: 24:00
• Related or Not: 41:24
• Mailbag questions 2: 1:03:20
• Comments: 1:14:18
• The Reads: 1:18:00
• Outtakes: 1:22:47